Blockchain and the brave new Art World

With the digital shift in creative production, distribution and broadcasting of culture goods and events, we see new forms of creative expression arise. How does the energy or experience of an original and virtual art work translate into the digital space? What defines a digital original and how does it find its audience? Who will be the driving and defining forces behind this paradigm shift?

When everything in the internet is free, how can creators secure their intellectual property and benefit from their talent, and on the other hand how can art lovers easily support artists of their choosing inside or outside the gallery circle? Owning a digital art work has been a challenge until recently, and the art world struggles to adopt new technologies. Also digital exhibitions and streams have not yet reached the mainstream society. But as the traditional gatekeepers of the art world change and they loose their monopolies on art interpretation and distribution, new protagonists arise and create a brave new art world.

Blockchain has already challenged the financial world with the appearance of crypto currencies, like Bitcoin or Dodgecoin, and it will enable new forms of registries, certificates and value & property management in general. Currently the most recent developments show how machine-only companies arise, and we are yet to see, how these developments will further shake the foundations of the art world.

We discussed these monumental shifts in the art world with blockchain expert and ascribe.io co-founder Masha McConaghy and art professional and ikono.tv founder Elizabeth Markevitch, who have been collaborating on exploring the boundaries of how the art world works and their contributions has already altered the very core of art reception in general.